Water stewardship board to be established for Lake Manitoba

WINNIPEG, MAN-In response to recommendations made earlier this year by an advisory committee, the Manitoba government will create the Lake Manitoba Water Stewardship Board to better meet the contemporary water management needs of the province's second largest lake. Water Stewardship Minister Steve Ashton said "The stewardship board will assist government in assessing the recommendations of the Lake Manitoba Regulation Review Advisory Committee and improving overall water quality. The next steps include appointment of board members and the development of long-term action plans." Ashton noted that the government has accepted in principle the recommendations of the committee, which was established in the fall of 2001 to determine the most acceptable and practical range of regulation for Lake Manitoba. The committee's findings and recommendations were presented during public meetings, held in February 2004 to obtain comment and feedback from stakeholders, particularly in light of record low water levels on Lake Manitoba last winter. Lake Manitoba is a narrow, irregular lake, 4,630 square kilometres in size and 200 km long with marshy shores. The marshes at its southern end, only 24 kilometres north of Portage la Prairie, are an important waterfowl research area.